Brow Lift

What it is

Also called “forehead lift,” brow lift is a safe and uncomplicated procedure that can lighten a heavy brow, smooth a wrinkled forehead, and raise sagging tissue beneath the eyebrows, making the eyes appear bigger and more open. Some people compare brow lifts to permanent botox treatment of the forehead.

Candidates

Good candidates for brow lift may have sagging or excess tissue on the upper eyelid or around the eyebrows; frown wrinkles between the eyes; an abnormality of the eyebrow; asymmetrical eyebrows; or wrinkles across the top of the nose.

Procedure

Either a general anesthetic or a local anesthetic with a sedative can be administered for a brow lift procedure. Brow lifts often require very few incisions, all hidden by a patient’s hair using a camera to minimize invasiveness. After the incisions are made, tissue is lifted and repositioned, tightening the skin and diminishing wrinkles. Brow lifts are often combined with a blepharoplasty and/or a face lift. The effects of brow lifts are long lasting.

Risks

Complications from brow lift are rare, though occasionally there may be sustained numbness after brow lift. Injury to the nerves supplying the muscles that move the forehead are very rare.

Recovery

Brow lifts are done as an outpatient procedure; brow lift patients are released to go home the same day as the surgery. Recipients of brow lift will need a ride home, as ointment placed in the eyes during surgery may make sight blurry for a few hours. Swelling will occur for two to three days following brow lift, but can be mollified with cold compresses. The brow may appear higher than expected immediately after brow lift, but when swelling abates and the tissues relax and drop, the brow will be in the appropriate position. Bruising may become evident in the areas of the eyelid and cheek for one to two weeks after the surgery, but after a week, will be faint enough to be concealed with makeup. Brow lift patients can usually return to work within 3-5 days after the procedure. Some brow lift recipients experience mild headaches for a couple days after brow lift, but this discomfort can be managed with prescription medication.